Thanks guys, I really appreciate you taking time to listen and comment. I forgot to mention, Ted Burroughs Sr, loaded salted beef from his butcher shop on the backs of a dozen mules to transport to the surrounding mountains. The salted beef would only last for the first few stops, then he had to rely on his ability to shoot mule deer, elk, black tail deer, moose and black bear, which he would butcher on the spot, wrap it in brown, meat wrapping paper and load it on the mules. No one ever knew the difference, mainly,I guess, because he was their only meat supplier when they were working in the high country. Old Ted also owned the only Pawn Shop in Usk, as well, making loans mainly on tools owned by local loggers. The loggers would pawn their saws, etc..., then head straight for the Usk Tavern, get blasted, hook up with an ugly woman, and at the end of the week, when they got paid, they would get their tools out of pawn and go back to work.

Bernie, throughout my life, I've met some very colorful individuals. People that did things other folks only dream of doing, but never seem to get around to doing them, for one reason or another. I've met couples that sailed around the globe in relatively small, sailboats, people that quit their high paying jobs on Wall Street then sailed to the Bahamas to enjoy life living aboard their boat, and one of the most colorful of all, was a guy named Captain Jack. I played music for Captain Jack's 92nd birthday and he passed at age 97.

Jack had a high paying sales position in Miami, Florida, a 9 to 5 job with a major corporation. At age 60, he purchased a 26-foot sailboat and he and his wife sailed it to Marathon Key, Florida for their annual vacation. This was the first boat he ever owned, and after a couple days on the high seas, he fell in love with sailing. When he finally reached Marathon Key, which was about the 4th day, he pulled into the City Marina, where he rented a slip. After a couple days of exploring the keys, he called his boss and said "I'm retiring." His boss asked when he intended to do this, and Jack said "As of this minute I am retired." Jack, his wife and black lab lived on that tiny boat for the next decade, when his wife passed away.

One day, the marina manager came to Jack and said "Jack, that boat is really too small to be a live aboard - you should get something bigger." He agreed, had the bottom of the boat cleaned and sailed away. Three days later, he returned to the marina and was greeted by the marina manager. "Jack, I thought you were gonna get a bigger boat." he said. "This is bigger." he replied - "It's a 27-footer." Jack spent the remainder of his days riding his bike to the city park every morning, cutting several dozen flowers and placing them in plastic bags, then returning to the marina and presenting one to each of the ladies. Yep, at 97 he was still hitting on the ladies, and they loved him.

I've met a lot of Captain Jacks during my 80 years on the planet - they were all wonderful people.

Gary